The Yankees utility players, Ronald
Torreyes (0.3 WAR), Tyler Wade (-0.1 WAR) and Neil Walker (-0.1 WAR) had a
combined WAR of .1 in 2018, and while they are all serviceable as utility
players or as players off the bench, this is an area where the Yankees could use
an upgrade in 2019.

The True Problem With The Yankees Coaching Staff

Last week we learned that the Yankees have yet again made minor, or as I would argue, insignificant changes to their coaching staff. The firings of hitting coach Jeff Pentland and bullpen coach Gary Tuck this offseason are reminiscent of last year’s dismissal of hitting coach Kevin Long and first base coach Mick Kelleher. As the Yankees are sitting at home playing golf, Kevin Long is back in the World Series with the Mets, and Dave Eiland, the former pitching coach who was fired following the 2010 season, is in the fall classic for the second straight year. I am becoming increasingly frustrated by the inability of the Yankees front office to recognize the true nature of the problem at hand. Continuously changing the coaching staff will have no effect on the play of the team. The issue facing the Yankees is one of systemic proportions, and it starts with the manager: Joe Girardi. As has been evidenced by the fact that the Yankees have not played in a playoff series since 2012, Girardi should be on the hot seat. To the casual observer it would appear that his message no longer resonates in the clubhouse. Every manager has an expiration date, and quite frankly, I believe Girardi has reached his. The Yankees can mix up the coaching staff all they want, but to expect different results, without removing the source of the problem is insanity. In order for the Yankees to excel once again it is imperative they part ways with Girardi.

I was never a big fan of Kevin Long, and I understood the need to fire him after 2014’s disgraceful offensive performance. He had been there since the Torre days so the need for a fresh face was understandable. On the other hand, I was quite shocked that they decided to part ways with Pentland after only one season. In my view, the Yankees are simply making a change to make a change. This nonsensical approach makes me wonder what the logical reasoning was behind the firings. I have written numerous articles criticizing Joe Girardi (CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST). His insistence on resting players when they are playing well, and inability to manage a pitching staff are two of the various reasons I dislike Girardi’s managing style. I could delve deeper into this, but for the sake of the clear and concise argument I’m attempting to make here, I’d like to avoid the redundancies.
I haven’t a clue as to why the Yankees continue to make pointless changes to the coaching staff. In my eyes it doesn’t really matter who is on the coaching staff because as long as Girardi is the manager the results will remain the same. If the Yankees seriously cared about winning they would make real changes. Let’s put aside the core thesis of my argument for a moment. For a second I’m going to assume the role of a typical apologist and pretend that Girardi is not the problem. If the manager is doing such a fantastic job, then why was it necessary to fire two of his coaches for two consecutive seasons? When I approach a problem I like to look at the why, or in other words, the underlying issues behind said problem. By this, I mean it is imperative that we examine possible systemic issues before making fringe decisions. In the case of the Yankees, Girardi is the systemic problem with the coaching staff. Long, Kelleher, Pentland, and Tuck are simply fall guys for Girardi’s incompetence.
The firings of Mick Kelleher and Gary Tuck were inconsequential and done solely for the sake of making changes. The offense has obviously been a huge problem for the last three seasons. Up until August, the Yankees offense was a dynamic force, and quite frankly a pleasant surprise. As the dog days of August rolled around, the Yankee offense faded away into oblivion. This issue reared its ugly head in the AL Wild Card game. From April-July, most Yankees fans were fully supportive of Pentland. Isn’t it amazing how the front office could turn on him because of two bad months? Girardi has had a bad three years and STILL has not been put on the hot seat. In most functioning workplaces, management will identify detriments to the business and rectify them. Joe Girardi is one of the biggest problems facing the Yankees, and remarkably they refuse to make the substantive change that is needed. As a fan, I am infuriated that this team has given him immunity for his sustained failures. It’s as if the only reason he still has his job is the 2009 title. 2009 was six years ago! Significant changes must be made. We need an overhaul, and that starts with the incompetent manager.
After hearing that the Yankees fired Tuck and Pentland I have to admit my first reaction was a subtle eye roll. The Yankees have continued their trend of the last few years. Instead of addressing an overtly conspicuous problem they chose to make an inconsequential change in order to save face. If this current Yankee regime really cared about addressing the coaching issue they would make changes where changes must be made. Joe Girardi looked clueless in the dugout for much of the 2015 season. That being said, I have no reason to believe he will magically become competent in time for 2016. As I’ve previously noted, every manager has an expiration date. Joe Girardi has hit said expiration date. Jeff Pentland and Gary Tuck were not the problem. They were the fall men for Girardi’s incompetence. It’s about time the Yankees begin to hold Girardi accountable for his failures. I’m infuriated by the inability of the front office to address blatant shortcomings. I made this declaration last year and I will make it again. The Yankees will never win another World Series as long as Joe Girardi is the manager.

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young budding Bomber squad last fall after finishing their season a game away
from a World Series berth. They were the team that arrived a year too early,
and another deep playoff run would be the goal, but then an old friend threw a
wrench in those plans. Derek Jeter put gargantuan slugger Giancarlo Stanton on
the market, and Stanton dictated his transfer with a full no-trade clause. The
Giants and Cardinals among others threw their name into the ring, but who did
he choose? The Yankees and Dodgers, it seemed to be a battle of baseballs
powerhouses, but the Yankees had an advantage over their former neighbors,
payroll flexibility. They were able to use this into an absolute steal of the
reigning NL MVP, and the Yankees were thrust into a world series or bust year.
The season was historic, they set the season home run record without Gary
Sanchez, Didi Gregorius, Greg Bird, and Aaron Judge for most if not all of the
year, but it ended in a bust at the hands of…

The
speculation started during the regular season, even prior to his trade from the
Baltimore Orioles to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Where would Manny Machado go upon
his free agency at the end of the 2018 regular season? And, with that, which
teams would be knocking on his door? No
sooner did the Yankees’ regular season come to a close after their fated ending
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Bronx took off as though pushed by a speeding 4 Train behind Yankee Stadium. The
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at the trade deadline.

Yankee fans are left with more questions than answers following Clint Frazier’s injury riddled 2018. Frazier suffered through concussion symptoms throughout his 2018 campaign, which saw him appear in 69 games between the minors and the big leagues. Now, Yankees fans wonder what 2019 will hold for the 24 year-old.

Miguel Andujar’s 2018
arrival in the big leagues on April 1st had been much anticipated by Yankee
fans and we were rewarded with a Rookie of the Year performance by one of the
most exciting players in all of Major League Baseball.

Corey Kluber is the difference
maker and impact arm the Yankees need atop their rotation. In 2017 and
2018, Yankee fans wished ace-like status on Luis Severino, but his
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different fits -- both from a financial and from a team standpoint. A case can
be made to bring back either of these free agents, or both of them, or…
neither. But it’s almost impossible to make a blanket answer that fits in every
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It
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that’s great.